After a great deal of soul searching, planning and preparation I finally feel ready to announce my grand plan and adventure which hopefully will lead to some significant changes in my life. Up to this point I have been pretty much a retired person living in reasonable comfort in the suburbs of Phoenix. It seems like there must be more going on outside than I can envision from my current vantage point so henceforth my plan is about to unfold.
I am about to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage to New Mexico. My purpose during this pilgrimage will be to attain spiritual growth and provide service to others along the way. Some secondary goals are gain humility, increase my self reliance and become my best friend which might fall under self improvement I suppose.
Gaining spiritual growth continues to confound me as I realize I am really not exactly sure how to reach this lofty goal. The more I think about it the harder it becomes. The other goals especially providing service are more easily met and I have taken steps to ensure this goal will be met.
The choice of New Mexico was made without a lot of deliberation but after I picked this area it seemed totally in keeping with my needs and the area of northern New Mexico resonates with me. Santa Fe and Taos are filled with areas of spiritual power and these can be experienced in both a group setting or individually.
What then really constitutes spirituality? Do we seek God? and if so where? In yoga and in eastern religions we are taught that God is all around us and is in every one of us and thus we are all God Like and are part of the divine. Thus it seems fitting that in a place like Northern NM if one is to find spirituality or God, then He will be right there and so will we. Why go away at all then? Well it gives one a chance to experience life and ourselves in a totally different venue and by doing so the growth and awakening of the spirit may be more readily apparent.
Yes, God is all around us and we are him too. He is in the red rocks and in the villages and places along the way and in the people we meet. So with an open mind and heart I hope to find the divine, my spirit and myself and meet others who may feel the same along the way.
These ideas I have gathered from studying Eastern religions, Native American thinking and from my association with people of faith. This background will guide me on my journey
Even creating an itinerary has not been easy. However a couple of wonderful opportunities have come up and hopefully I will encounter others as I travel. I will be volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity in Santa Fe in Mid March and also plan to volunteer at the Southwest Sufi Community near Silver City in early April. SSC not only has opportunities to serve but also has time for spiritual growth and reflection in a very remote setting.
I will post an itinerary shortly. For lodging I am planning to Couch Surf as much as possible and have found several folks who are willing to host me. Finding food along the way will have to wait as this part of the journey is less clear. But something will turn up as it always seems to.
